Heroes of Remnant
by DarthPablo34
Summary: The history of this land has been forgotten, but there is one who seeks to revive old secrets that best lay undisturbed. Secrets that threaten the very existence of life that many had sacrificed so much for. However, there are simpler souls who will come forth to battle the darkness, a darkness that snuffed out the brightest lights of their era.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: This is my first story, but unlike many other first stories I want to conduct this is a degree of professionalism. So I am not asking you to take it easy on me. The opposite actually. If I make a mistake, or you feel I need to improve something. Let me know. Criticism is appreciated. **

An orange haired man sat in a high class bar. He kept the standards high here, and after some blonde freak came in a wrecked the place, he made sure that it was up and back into working condition very quickly. It was important for a number of reasons, the building, and the message behind it.

First, the club itself was a completely legitimate business, and a very successful one at that. Second, the operations that took place behind closed doors here was also very important to his_ other_ business. Lastly, and most importantly for him, it showed that you can hit Roman Torchwick, but he will be back. It showed he controlled what he wanted and little incidents don't keep him back.

But that was before he broke one rule. The most important rule, his father told him. Never trust a beautiful woman. Roman was no fool. He worked too hard to make his father's small time operations into one of the most influential and successful criminal enterprises in all of Remnant. He prided himself on that, and guarded his accomplishments jealously. He abstained from any relationships, emotional and physical. That had been his father's downfall.

Not that it bothered him. He wasn't really interested in that. He wanted something that was more exciting, and less fleeting. The very thought of it excited him, put him on edge.

Power.

He loved power. Money, fear, occasionally respect. All of these served his purpose for what he truly wanted. Power for power's sake.

And with this power came weaker organizations wanting a piece of it. Some tried to take it. They failed. The smart ones learned, and decided that being the big dog wasn't worth losing their heads. They worked with Torchwick now, becoming stronger and richer, but still nowhere near his league.

He didn't need a large, lumbering beast to run, that was where everyone went wrong. Everyone tried to make their operations the biggest, spread out as far as possible. Roman knew it paid more to be well equipped and strong than just large. In terms of man power, his personal group was small. But they were skilled. These skills were used to "encourage" other groups to work with Roman, for mutual benefits.

He had connections with some of the most powerful underground businesses and mobs in Remnant. That was where he gained his power. He set up deals for other organizations, provided security, funded operations, made long term business plans, and much more. He made other organizations so reliant on his for services that they didn't realize how much powerful he had become until it was too late. Instead of taking them over though, he used his connections for over purposes. He would have them pay him to do deals in his territory, have them give him men for his own operation, or any other number of tasks he required. They couldn't say no, if they did, they would lose their greatest business partner and they too would collapse. So they had to help and protect him.

This made him feel invincible. He couldn't be touched. No one could stop him. Even the police feared him. He had an active warrant for his arrest for years now, but he felt no fear in walking the streets during the day. Not that he was foolhardy enough to walk into a police station or something like that.

However, that became his downfall. When he first met her, he assumed she was sent by one of the other mafias. They normally sent intelligent and attractive women to negotiate deals. Made sense, men either were looking for the obvious or let their guards down because they naturally felt women weren't threatening. Torchwick was neither. He didn't let his guard down because he entertained illusions of sleeping with her, nor did assume women wouldn't kill you as quickly as a man could. His problem was he didn't feel she mattered. He was on top of the world, and no one person could stop him.

If only he knew…

His drink was empty. He hadn't realized how quickly he was putting them back. He already had two large White Russians, and was hesitant about ordering a third. He wanted to relax, not go into a coma.

He chuckled, realizing that he broke his father's second rule, don't drink and try to think about your problems. But he didn't see the difference in his situation, whether he drank or not. Roman Torchwick felt doomed. There was no way out for him, he was in too deep. Sooner or later, she was going to kill him. Whether he succeeded or not. Ain't that a kick in the head?

But something deep in him kept telling him to fight back. To never give up, to never say die. It became his way of life. At a young age he dominated organized crime. Before that, he rose through the ranks of his father's organization, forcing the pretenders who took over after his father's death to either submit or die. And before that, he was accepted into Beacon Academy, two years early at that, where he met one of the most influential people in his life. It was there where under strict tutelage he learned to fight, not just physically, but mentally.

He wasn't going to give up. Not to her. He didn't know what to do, but he remembered where he gained his fighting spirit. It was where he spent years learning the drive to achieve and to never let Fate pull you around. He didn't know how to get out of this situation, but at that moment, he decided he sure as hell wasn't going to just sit here and accept it.

He rose up suddenly. He had to get to a phone. There were some people he was going to call. However, as he began to walk down the steps to the door, he stumbled a little. He immediately corrected his stance and tried to brush it off, looking around to see if anyone had seen that. Luckily no one else paid much attention.

"I guess those drinks were stronger than I thought," Torchwick muttered. But his mental facilities were working, even if his body was sluggish. And right now, that is what's important. He half walked out of the club, huge Cheshire grin on his face. The cool night air greeted him, filling his lungs with refreshing humid air. It helped in vigor his body and clear his mind. Come hell or high water, Roman was going to end out on top. He had men, money, power, and determination.

And he knew a group of people who would be just as determined to fight Cinder as he. A group of useful idiots who had foiled his plans repeatedly. They wouldn't help him directly but he could leave some bread crumbs, have them follow it….

Already the gears were turning in his devious mind. So many options, so little time. He decided to scratch the last part of that. Thinking that his time was limited wasn't a pleasing idea. But that didn't matter.

They would do what heroes do best and meddle in Cinder's affairs. They just needed a reason to get involved. And Roman would be more than happy to provide that reason. He knew what buttons to press and in just the right ways. Father always said he had a knack for provoking people. Time to make the most of it.

As he walked down the cold empty streets of Vale, he began to sing to himself, finally feeling alive again. He had pulled himself out of the dark pit of despair and now could see the heavenly light. "Oh, I've got the world on a string, sitting on a rainbow…." he began. Things looked bright indeed.


	2. Missed Chances and Forgiveness

**Hello, just a quick note. This is the first real chapter of the story, so expect more chapters of this length and detail. Without further ado, here's chapter one.**

He brought his sword done as fast as he could, but to no avail. He grimaced as he brought his shield up. A powerful blow sent him sliding a good four meters back. A blow like that would have broken his ribs if he had been slower with his shield. If only his sword were that fast.

He charged forward, thrusting his sword as hard as he could. Predictably, his opponent used her own shield to block. But he was ready. Using the momentum he from the charge, he tackled her with his shield. She skidded back a mere foot, but smiled back, impressed he was using a little more cunning in his own attacks.

However, Jaune forgot that Pyrrha had a spear. He was so close that Pyrrha merely reached over his shield and "lightly" clocked him with the side of her spear, Milo. This knocked Jaune face first into the ground. "Sorry," she meekly apologized.

Jaune lifted himself up, spitting out dirt and wiping his brow, "No need to apologize, we're training, and I made a mistake." A grin creeped on his face, "I have really felt more confident though after our sessions." He flexed one arm, "See? I went from having olives for muscles to… slightly bigger… olives," he trailed off, slightly crestfallen.

Pyrrha giggled, amused by Jaune slightly dorky behavior. "It doesn't matter how big your muscles are, it how well you can control your body."

"Guys say that about a lot of things," a loud voice said from behind the duo. Blushing, Jaune and Pyrrha saw the tall, golden haired member of team RWBY, Yang. She smiled a playful grin, "A bit early for you two love birds to be alone, isn't it?"

Both blushed at the suggestion, though Jaune was the first to try and quell it. "We're just here for practice, that's all!"

Pyrrha nodded in agreement. "Just practice, that's all," Though she added the latter rather hesitantly.

Yang just smiled in return, "Oh really?" She began to move her hands about, adding a dramatic flair, "You two, alone, in the wee hours of the morning." Her tone would from romantic and flirty, to suggestive, "Chests heaving, bodies sweating, grappling each other on the ground….." she trailed off, eyeing them like a cat.

Pyrrha wasn't naïve and was more comfortable about that subject than Jaune was, but even she was just as red as he was at Yang's suggestive teasing. "What?!" she squeaked, too embarrassed to raise her voice.

Jaune cut in, finding his voice, "It's not like that! And it's definitely not physical! Well… I guess it is technically physical." This got a shocked look from Pyrrha and a sly one from Yang. "Not like that kind of physical, but like fighting!"

"Jaune, you're not going to win. Just stop digging yourself a deeper ditch," a young voice interjected.

They turned to see the youngest member of Beacon, Ruby Rose, in her usual attire of a black and red dress. Despite her small frame, she was immensely powerful, as evidenced by the heavy scythe-rifle she carried on her back. Two years their junior, she had made an impression on everyone as a capable fighter, dedicated leader and loyal friend.

Yang pouted, "Come on! Why you have to ruin my fun? I wanted to see them squirm a bit more." She turned to the two partners, her look changing back to playful, "They are just so precious!"

Jaune opened his mouth to deny any romantic intentions with the Amazonian, but decided following Ruby's advice would be best. Pyrrha, due to her silence, must have thought so too.

Their sudden silence apparently disappointed the blonde brawler, as she again fake pouted and sighed. "Anyway, the real reason I am here is to tell you guys that we are getting breakfast now, so you are welcome to join us."

Pyrrha nodded. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Want some help putting away some of your stuff?" the young hooded girl asked.

"No, that's fine, you two go on ahead," replied Pyrrha.

Yang raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth, probably to add another comment on her and Jaune being alone, but Ruby lightly elbowed her in the side. "Come on, let them be."

Yang sighed, "You never let me have any fun." Though Jaune could tell by her sly grin as she walked away, she already was planning something else to entertain her.

Jaune was glad when Yang left. He wasn't comfortable with her teasing, especially when it involved Pyrrha. He walked to his sword and shield, smiling. He felt more confident than when he had arrived at Beacon, and knew that he was on his way to becoming the hero he had always wanted to be. What his family wanted him to be. Someone who was worthy of wielding the two family heirlooms that had served his family well.

As Jaune stood up with his weapons, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Pyrrha looking at him with equal parts determination and what seems like... something else. Fear? He turned to Pyrrha with concern, "What's up?"

Pyrrha bit her lip apprehensively. Jaune knew something was bothering her. He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "If there is something you want to say, do it. I won't judge you, you're my friend. You can tell me anything."

She smiled lightly, then sighed. "Jaune, I just want to know," she looked down at her boots for a moment, took a deep breath, and then looked back up, "How do you feel about me?"

Jaune seemed to ponder the question for a second, before answering. "I think you're a great person. I mean, you actually took time to train me and get to know me, even when it would have been easier to walk away. No one else really has really done that for me. You are kind and loyal, but also strong and determined. I guess I look up to you," Jaune replied, eyes filled with nervousness, hoping that he hadn't said anything too dorky.

She smiled back, although it didn't seem quite right. It was longing, sad almost. Jaune was about to ask when Pyrrha suddenly interjected, "I'm glad you feel that way. I feel the same." She motioned her head to the door, "Go on, I'll catch up with you."

Jaune still wanted to ask why she seemed sad, though she seemed like she wanted to be alone. He nodded, but added, "Ok Pyrrha, if anything is troubling you, just come to me. Ok?"

She smiled and nodded, "Definitely. Now go on and grab me a plate." She watched as he walked away, and as soon as he was out of earshot, she sighed. _And you just let him walk away again. Good going, Red, _she thought to herself. She was strong, courageous, and filled with ambition. However, having a school girl crush was kicking her butt. She wanted to tell him, but she chickened out, and she hated herself for it. She knew that it was better to get it out there sooner rather than later but she had spent years building walls around herself without ever knowing it.

She trained, she performed at tournaments, and she became a celebrity. She had never realized how that had kept from having a love life. She wasn't naive. She had suitors. She just turned them down, as they were usually other celebrities or fighters. There was an expectation to date another fighter, but she didn't like them. Most were ok people, and rather friendly. But then there were the Cardin Winchesters of the group, those who talked down to others, threw their weight around to get what they want, trying to impress her. It didn't work, and when she bruised their precious egos they didn't talk much afterwards. She didn't want to date, didn't have time, and wasn't interested in the guys she knew, so never had a crush before.

Then she met him. He was her complete opposite in terms of skills and demeanor. He was clumsy, socially awkward, lacked confidence, skill, and in all honestly, even his sense of humor was a bit weak. But that didn't matter to her. In Jaune, she saw something else. Something most people overlooked, and only saw with a lot of time and effort.

A kind and pure heart.

It was something so simple, yet for her so powerful. Even when he did something wrong, like faking his way into Beacon, he had a pure goal. It wasn't for him, he wanted to make his family proud. It was corny to say, but it was true. She fell in love with him because at his core, he was a kind, loving person, a faithful friend, and a noble soul. He was simple, had no ulterior motives, and asked for nothing from people for fear of bringing them down. And for that, Pyrrha Nikos loved Jaune Arc.

And it filled her with a warm, fuzzy feeling she always heard about when she was growing up. She enjoyed it, and wished she could feel it all the time. However, it also filled her with anxiety. That she could live without. It drove her crazy to be so close to him yet not be able to tell him how much she cared about him. What made it worse was that she couldn't tell how he felt. She didn't know if he was just oblivious, or he picked up on it and dismissed them for one reason or another. Jaune had a low self-esteem, so it was likely he dismissed the flirting as wishful thinking.

She sighed as the picked up her weapon and walked out of the training field. _Better luck next time, Nikos. You better woman up before someone else takes him. _

* * *

"And so, Ren and I rode the horde of Borbatusks into the sunset!" Nora ended her rather entertaining, and probably embellished, tale.

Ren just shook his head beside her. Despite this, he still had a small smile on his lips, genuinely enjoying the tales his childhood friend came up with. "You have some... interesting dreams Nora."

Blake didn't look up from her book, but added, "And they all include you. Interesting."

Ren didn't react. He must have long grew accustomed to people implying them to be together. It must not bother him, and to be honest, Blake thought it never really did.

"Of course! We've always been together! Well, not together together. But I couldn't imagine what life would be like without my Ren!" Nora exclaimed, pulling the young man in question into a rib crushing hug. Something he had grown accustomed to also.

Blake simply raised her eyebrow in suspicion. She didn't believe it, and most people didn't. It was plainly obvious that Nora had feelings for Ren. The question was whether or not Ren did as well. Of course, Ren wasn't big on emotions. But like Blake had room to talk.

She had been back at Beacon for some weeks after her team found out she was a Faunus. She was accepted back with RWBY and JNPR with much fanfare and little debate. They didn't care who she used to be. They loved her just the same, even Weiss. Of course, once the news hit that a certain black clothed cat Faunus fought Roman Torchwick, it didn't take long for the entire student body to find out. Most didn't care. Faunus students welcomed her, well, most of them. Some held a grudge against her for helping the White Fang. And then there were the bigots of the school. Oh, _them_. They made life tough at times. But they knew their limits. Few fight Torchwick and walk away like she did, so they never pushed it to a point where she would have an excuse to fight back.

She turned to see Jaune sit down at the table. Without Pyrrha. Oh, that can't be good. Blake knew of Pyrrha's affections too, though this was through more direct means. Pyrrha had come to her for advice, and Blake said probably the most honest, but also hardest advice anyone could give to someone who was in love. Be honest, and be up front. She said she was going to ask him today, and judging by Jaune's concerned look...

Ruby cut in, interrupting her thoughts, "Jaune, is everything alright?"

He looked up from his plate, no, plates. He must have got one for Pyrrha. He nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine." However, his look was anything but reassuring. He must have noticed this because he elaborated, "It's just that Pyrrha seemed down today. She asked me a weird question."

Blake decided at this point it was time for some direct action. "What did she ask you?" she said, not looking up from her book, trying to appear disinterested.

Jaune turned to her, fully acknowledging her, "She asked how I felt about her. I said she was a great friend and I looked up to her, and she seemed, I don't know, sad. Almost..." he paused, as though remembering something from long ago, "disappointed."

Blake resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the blonde boy's expense. It had been a simple question, one where all the flirting Pyrrha had done should have been able to pick up on the true meaning of. Of course, in his defense, most boys didn't pick up on subtle clues like that. Personally, Blake didn't like them either, and usually was very direct with her feelings. Though that tended to get varying results.

Ruby had a concerned look on her face. "Did you guys have a fight recently? Something that would make her question your friendship?"

Jaune shook his head, "No, which is why I am confused."

Blake was a little shocked Ruby didn't pick up on what Pyrrha was really asking either. Then again, she didn't deal well with people unless she was fighting them or ogling their weapon. She played around with the idea of suggesting the idea that Pyrrha may like Jaune, but decided that it was Pyrrha's fight.

She slide her eyes to her partner, who had an expression similar to her internal one. Yang knew what went on, and she wasn't pleased either. Recently, she had started giving Pyrrha advice also. Blake held several ideas why she would do that, her favorite was that she liked playing matchmaker. She wondered how Yang would react or even if she would.

She felt the weight of the table shift slightly. She glanced over to see Pyrrha sitting down. _Across_ from Jaune. Definitely not good. She usually sat next to him, meaning she was trying to put distance between her and Jaune without trying to seem too stand offish.

Pyrrha spoke immediately, "Thanks for getting me breakfast Jaune." She smiled, and unlike her knight, her smile was convincing. If she had been disappointed before, she hide it well.

"You're welcome," he replied.

And thus began the longest two minutes at the lunch table Blake had ever experienced. No one talked. Which was odd, especially knowing who were the kind of people who sat there. Yang seemed to be pondering the Pyrrha-Jaune situation. Ruby looked sympathetically at Jaune. Jaune seemed to be thinking whether or not to ask Pyrrha what was wrong or let it go. Pyrrha seemed happy enough, but was quiet. Nora for some reason had stopped talking and seemed to be content gazing off into the distance. Weiss wasn't even there, having been called to Glynda's office for something. And Ren was being Ren, who seemed unfazed by the potentially growing wrench in his team's dynamics.

The silence was then thankfully broken, however it was by an unlikely and unwelcome source.

"Hey," came a voice standing behind Yang, though not directed at her. Everyone adjusted their attention to the man wearing dark gray armor, with slicked back, shoulder length hair. Sky Lark, one of Cardin's teammates. That was strange for a number of reasons. First, he never spoke with RWBY or JNPR, usually Cardin did that. Secondly, speaking of which, he was alone. Third and finally, he only talked to people when he was making fun of them, and judging by his tone of voice he wasn't here for that. In fact, it actually sounded friendly. Like, genuinely friendly.

He was looking at Jaune, and when no one said anything he continued, "Look, man, I know CRDL been kind of a jerk to you, Cardin especially, but I wanted to apologize for you on behalf of our team." He smiled, sheepishly, "I know we probably don't deserve it..."

"That's right, you don't," Yang interrupted, with a tone suggesting she found Mr. Lark's presence a burden.

He nodded, "Ok, I can agree with that, but I am legitimately sorry." He then rubbed the back of his neck, clearly feeling awkward about what he was going to say next, "And even though the jerk isn't going to say it, Cardin is sorry too. Even more so than the rest of us."

Blake thought that was somewhat kind, expressing the apologies of someone she felt even Sky didn't hold in high regard, judging by his tone. And how he abandoned Cardin to an Ursa Major. However, Yang felt differently.

"Tell him if he's really sorry, he should come here and say it to Jaune," Yang said in quite possibly the sassiest way Blake has ever heard someone speak.

Sky looked sheepish again, "The thing is, I kinda just came on my own. None of them wanted to admit that they felt bad."

"Even Cardin?" asked Jaune.

"Especially Cardin," replied Sky. He then quickly followed up, "Not that he isn't sorry, he's just too proud for that. So are the others."

Pyrrha gave Sky a cold stare, one not dissimilar from one a strict school master would give to a disruptive pupil. "If anyone one of them want us to forgive them, they have to come here and ask for it." Blake agreed, internally of course.

Jaune shook his head, "No, it's alright Pyrrha." He turned back to Sky, smiling, "I accept your apology, and Cardin's." While she found this admirable, forgiving your bully unconditionally, she also found that it only rewarded their bad behavior.

Ruby then cut in, "No, Jaune. Pyrrha's right on this." Blake was impressed. She figured Ruby would be all for Jaune live and let live attitude, but this was surprisingly mature for her. Apparently she must have read Blake's mind because she then added, "You are only rewarding them for not having the decency to apologize themselves. It's cowardly."

"Well, we are that," Sky joked, grinning. "Speaking of which, while I could get Dove and Russel here, Cardin..." he paused, a look of shame coming upon his face."Isn't really speaking to us."

"Does it have anything with you guys leaving him to become lunch for a Grimm?" Nora asked, in a surprisingly innocent tone.

Sky smiled sadly. "Yeah..." His voice weak, "Like I said, we are cowards." While Blake was inclined to agree, the look on Sky's face... She couldn't help but feel pity. While she was quiet, she was skilled at reading emotions, even from the slightest things. The way someone's eyes shined, posture, the angle of how they held their head. It didn't take that much skill to read Sky though. He legitimately felt bad for bullying Jaune, and probably everyone else he bullied too. He also felt terrible for being a coward, leaving his team leader to die, just to save his own skin. And here he was now, trying to make amends, to save some self-respect he must have had for himself.

_People who have low self-esteem tend to bully people who are weaker than them to feel like they're in control_, Blake thought, remembering her psychology class. Wha_t happened to you to make you want to hurt others and put them down? What made you feel like you are powerless?_ Not that she forgave him, or excused his behavior. If he wanted respect, he would have to work for it.

Jaune smiled sympathetically, "Look, I know what it's like to be scared, but you have to overcome it." He gestured to himself, "When I came here, I was a loser, scared to even think about fighting a lowly Beowolf. But I trained hard, made good friends who supported me..." He then gestured, rather grandly, to the rest of the table, "And gave me someone to fight for. They helped make me proud of who I am, made me brave, and made me a better person. You need someone who would help you do that too." He then put a reassuring hand out to Sky, "I would be honored to be your first real friend at Beacon."

Sky looked at it hesitantly, "Are you sure? Even after the crap we put you through?" Jaune nodded, smile not fading. Sky looked at it hard, weighing his options. His body suddenly relaxed, he smiled, and he grabbed Jaune's hand. "Thanks, man. I owe ya." He looked back at his table and his expression saddened. He turned back, "Hey, I know this is a bit early to ask for favors but..."

Jaune cut in, expecting that his question would be, "Yes, you can sit here. And yes, I noticed their death glares too." Sky nodded thankfully, and then left.

Pyrrha couldn't help but smile at Jaune as he sat back down. "You really are too nice of a person," she said. To which Jaune just gave his trademark goofy grin.

Blake noticed the look in Pyrrha's eyes. It was a loving look, one Blake remember seeing on her parent's faces as they spoke to each other over late dinners when the kids were in bed. Blake enjoyed seeing that look, as it reminded her of the love stories she read as a child. It made her remember that there was still love in this world, a deep love that people usually dismissed as fairy tales and romanticism. A love she always had to be reminded did in fact exist.

However, as she slid her eyes back to her book, her eyes caught Ruby's. Ruby hadn't noticed, as she was looking at Jaune. Her eyes were full of admiration. But they held something else. Something familiar... _Oh my._

Blake was usually a master of hiding her emotions. But there were times her facade failed. Once was when she accidently pulled "Ninjas of Love" out of her suitcase. Something she meant to keep a bit better hidden. Another was when Adam had first told her his feelings about her, which she reciprocated at the time. And now she couldn't hide the look of surprise and realization she had. It was good that she had held her book up the entire time, otherwise it would have been plain for everyone at the table to see, and if anyone had noticed they would've assumed she had just gotten to a particularly interesting part.

No one noticed, except her partner. Who was sitting right across from her, looking straight at her with a knowing look. Not just a knowing look, a _confirming_ look. Yang knew what Blake knew, and she knew that Blake knew now too. Suddenly, Yang's actions were beginning to make some sense. Blake gave Yang a look saying she got the message. She and Yang had grown to be able to communicate like that, and right now she was very thankful for that.

Internally, she felt a great wave of discomfort. What would Pyrrha say? Should she even _tell_ Pyrrha? Does Ruby even recognize it herself? She probably didn't have a great grasp on her emotions. Should Blake talk to Ruby about it, or see if Yang would? Yang knew. Hell, she even sometimes teased Ruby about it. But she also was helping Pyrrha. Why? What were her goals? This could negatively impact both teams and not to mention friendships if handled incorrectly. This was beginning to seem like something out of those romantic comedy books she read. _Oh my, how the plot thickens,_ Blake thought to herself.

* * *

Weiss stepped out of Goodwitch's office, head swirling from the meeting she had between Goodwitch and her father. She was having difficulty controlling her breathing. Every fiber of her being wanted to break down and cry, like she had years ago as a little girl saying goodbye to her mother. She hadn't expected to see her father. And she really hadn't expected what he had said. Everything that happened gave her reason to worry, even the way her father acted.

To say Weiss's father was a not very affectionate man was an understatement. He had shown very little love to his daughter, and at times even seemed like he... No, Weiss stopped that train of thought. Now he was different. He was fearful. He never showed fear. And it had made him suddenly very protective of his daughter. He held her, something he hadn't done in years, and it felt like he was afraid that if he let go, he would never be able to see her again.

What had happened before she arrived was her father had asked Goodwitch for extra protection around the school, to which she immediately denied, refusing to put armed security droids on school grounds. He wanted Weiss taken out of classes, to which she also denied. She had actually threatened to have him physically removed from the property unless he explained his erractic suggestions. He did, and because of the nature of those suggestions, Weiss was called to the office so she could hear what he had to say.

Shehad to tell her friends. Weiss was in danger, and it could put them in danger too. Even if Glynda promised the school would take extra measures, the best measure Weiss could take would be to have a team of well trained and equipped Hunters. Weiss couldn't ignore the danger to herself, but she felt confident she and teams RWBY and JNPR could handle it.

But her father... Dust, she hoped he would be ok. He was in danger too, and even though her father had been cold and pushed her hard, he did it out of love. He wanted her to be able to take care of herself, to protect herself, from what was happening now. In case... in case... she felt tears roll down her face as she remembered the exact words he said when he first made her take all those combat lessons, _in case I can't be there to take care of you._


	3. A Full Commitment

Ruby was the last to leave the table, having gorged herself on toast and biscuits. She always ate a lot of food. She hoped she was finally hitting her growth spurt, but she knew it was just wishful thinking. She had always had a high metabolism, which served to irritate Yang. Yang took more after their father and had to work hard to maintain her figure. Not that doing that was particularly hard at Beacon.

She stretched, feeling her shoulders loosen. Ruby couldn't help but feel today was going to be long and had a sinking feeling, though she couldn't tell why. It had just started, and today was going to be an easy day. Classes were cancelled due to midterm exams, and RWBY had finished all of theirs, as had the NPR of JNPR. Jaune had one more test, "Swordsmanship 101", which he and Pyrrha had been training for. She was impressed how far he had come and how dedicated he was to learning from both teams. Maybe she should get him something as a reward.

So, it wasn't that. The only exam left was the school wide one, but it wasn't going to be a problem. Well, not this one. All the teams had to do was go into the forest and kill a particular Grimm assigned to them. The others were hard in varying degrees, the mere thought of her "Dust Properties" exam still made the young Huntress shiver, but this wasn't a written test. It was all the teams going out to the Forest and slaying a specific Grimm. After beheading a Nevermore, Ruby had no reason to think her team couldn't do it.

So what is this feeling? What am I stressed about? Ruby walked in front of the door to RWBY's dorm. Before she could open the door, she heard a small noise. It sounded like pacing. She opened the door and was greeted by a mournful looking Weiss. She had been looking down and muttering to herself. "Weiss?"

The girl in question looked up, surprised. "Ruby! I... where are the others?"

"Blake and Yang went to town to go shopping," she replied, concerned by Weiss's expression.

"I, I need to tell you all something, and," she paused as she cleared her throat and adjusted her posture, "I'd prefer if everyone was here." She stood ramrod straight as she normally did, her face now expressionless.

Ruby understood, but wanted to show her concern. She got close to Weiss and looked her in the eyes, "Ok, but I'm your partner, and if you need me, I'm here for you." She smiled a small, reassuring smile.

Weiss's facade dropped. Her eyes softened, and she repeated the same smile. She sighed and sat down on the bed, having the young girl sit next to her. "Thanks Ruby. I guess you're going to have to find out anyway. So, might as well be now."

Her light blue eyes met Ruby's silver ones. They had bonded more over the semester, and grew close. Ruby would probably consider Weiss one of her best friends here, even though she did still irritate Weiss at times, and Weiss could still be bossy. But they trusted each other. They shared feelings, ideas, and helped each other. While Ruby still considered Weiss to be a bit of an Ice Queen at times, she revealed she had a warm heart.

Weiss looked down at the floorboards, beginning with what happened in Goodwitch's office. "I saw my father today, and he wanted to take me out of the school, immediately." Ruby raised her eyebrows, but allowed Weiss to continue. "He was shot down, obviously, but when I saw him..." Weiss's eyes narrowed, the memory still painful, "He was scared, almost terrified. He subdued it physically, but my father's eyes never lie."

She turned to Ruby, "The White Fang has recently made threats against my father, but have offered no demands. Something has them emboldened, and they don't just want him to start treating Faunus's as equals. They want him gone, and they want me gone too."

Ruby's eyes widened, "No, they can't get you here." Ruby's hand grabbed Weiss's, "You're surrounded by some of the most powerful warriors in Remnant, Hunters and Huntresses that battle evil daily." She gave a light squeeze, hoping her words are working, "Your team definitely won't let anything happen to you."

Weiss gave a small sad smile, "I know you guys won't. But something has my father on edge. He knows something that I don't. Getting threats isn't new, but this is the first time I have seen him afraid. He is scared for me, and I'm afraid that I am putting you guys in danger," she replied, slowly and quietly.

Ruby shook her head, "Nope."

Weiss raised an eyebrow, "Nope?"

"Nope," she replied, just as innocently and positive. "Listen, we put ourselves in danger every day for people we don't know. We will move all of Remnant itself for one our own. Don't worry about us, RWBY has each other, and together anyone who wants to hurt one of us will have to deal with all of us."

The white haired girl nodded, a genuine smile on her face, "Thanks, no one has ever been that good of a friend to me. But..." her eyes became downcast again. "I'm worried for my father."

"Your dad will be fine, I mean, he has security, right?" Ruby reassured.

"You mean the same security system we had on the train Blake and her friend decimated by themselves?" Weiss asked rhetorically. Ruby knew she wasn't bitter about the high jacking Blake had performed, but it proved a point. "The police are setting up protection, but they are nowhere as good or effective as my father's security, which has failed before..." she added lightly.

Ruby didn't know how to respond to that. Weiss's father was the President of the Schnee Dust Corporation. He had resources that dwarfed cities and providences. He had a private army for security, and whatever was going on was enough to make him fear for his life. So, with no more words to say, Ruby did the only thing she could do.

She slid her arms around Weiss and gave her a hug. Not one of those tight hugs friends give each other after not seeing each other for a while. It was the light yet firm hug a mother gives a child when they are hurting, physically or emotionally.

At first, Weiss didn't know how to respond. Then, slowly, no matter how hard she tried to hold it back, her eyes began to tear up. She returned Ruby's hug and buried her face into her shoulder and began to cry. All the while Ruby was rubbing her back, trying to find any more reassuring words. But for right now, this seemed to be enough.

After five minutes, Weiss stopped, and began to pull back. Ruby let go and saw that Weiss, while her face was still red, was smiling. "Thanks Ruby," she said, "I appreciate everything you have done."

Ruby smiled and nodded, "It's what teammates do." She stood up and pulled Weiss up with her. They both began how to break the news to their teammates and whether or not include JNPR as well, as the two teams were close and they may also be caught in any cross-fire. They decided to mention it at dinner with them, and until then, they had to wait. And much to Ruby's shock, Weiss had just the idea how to spend the afternoon. One she never thought the heiress would ever suggest.

* * *

Yang was not a very tactful person. She was blunt, to the point, and open. She didn't carry around secrets well, unless they were truly serious, and she didn't really keep her own secrets. However, what she had been doing lately regarding her sister, Pyrrha, and Jaune required a certain level of diplomacy and necessitated secrecy. Like all great diplomats, to make the most out of a situation sometimes required making sure the other parties didn't know her full hand or how she played them.

Of course, she couldn't keep her more perceptive friends from figuring out the situation like she had. The first to find out was actually Nora, which surprised Yang. She figured the orange haired girl was just as much of a socially awkward dork as Ruby. But one day she came up to Yang, asking if she thought Ruby and Jaune made a cute couple. Then Ren find out shortly after, probably a combination of his own observations and Nora simply confirming it. Both knew their teammate and Ruby had feelings for Ruby, and when Yang explained, they were content letting her take care of it.

And now finally Blake has pieced it together. She was intelligent. She read and analyzed people just as expertly as she did her books. So with the final puzzle piece from this morning, she figured out Yang was up to something. Which she was.

So here she was now, on a small shopping spree with Blake. They needed new supplies and groceries anyway, so it was just as good a time as any to come clean to her partner. They had already hit one store for food and another for ammunition and dust. So with that out of the way, Yang began to take it easy and explain what she was doing.

"So I guess you know Ruby likes Jaune then, right?" Yang started out. Even with the slight stalling from the beginning of this little trip, Yang was quick to cut to the chase when the matter was brought up.

Blake nodded, barely perceptible, "In all honesty, that doesn't surprise me. It just worries me. How it could affect the teams if those two ever found out."

Yang knew immediately that the two in question were not Ruby and Jaune, but Ruby and Pyrrha. She knew that both were better friends than that to fight over Jaune if it came to it, but it would affect the team. Both were too passionate to simply take that completely lying down. "I know. I do too," Yang replied.

Blake looked at her with a slightly confused expression, "Why are you helping Pyrrha then?"

Yang looked surprised, "Who said I was?"

"You are always telling her to just tell him and get it over with, and giving her advice," Blake's said as she stratched behind one of her human ears.

"Yeah, I do, but that doesn't mean I would prefer to see him with Pyrrha," Yang replied. She took a sip from the energy drink she bought, still feeling tired from the after exam midnight party she had to celebrate the team's final exam, minus the school wide one. Pulling the can from her lips, she continued, "She comes to me for advice a lot. I'm not going to lie to her or deceive her. If anything, she's more nervous than Ruby is about it. Of course, there's a reason for that."

Yang dropped the can into the trash as she walked by. This stuff tastes like crap. "Ruby doesn't know she has a puppy love crush on ole' Vomit Boy yet. She never was interested in boys at Signal. At first, we thought it was because she wasn't interested in boys," Yang smiled, "That led to an awkward moment when I tried to hook her up with one of my friends. To make a long story short, she wasn't interested in girls either."

She saw Blake smile slightly and shake her head. "You couldn't have just asked her?" Blake asked.

"Dad didn't want to push her. We dropped hints that if she wanted to tell us something, we would accept her because she is still the same person to us and just let it wait. I got tired of waiting," she said nonchalantly. "Anyway, she never has had a crush. So she doesn't recognize it yet, but she does."

"Have you talked to Ruby about it?" Blake then scratched her arm, and Yang seriously thought about making a flea joke, but knew that would be a horrible thing to joke about with her. She probably got enough crap like that from Cardin.

Yang shrugged, "I have. She denied it, in quite possibly in the most adorably least convincing way possible." She cracked her fingers, loosening up for tired hands, "I just want to grab her sometimes and say, 'He's perfect for you, ya dork! And you know it!' but that would probably deny it and act all flustered."

Blake hesitated, for a brief second, "I think I have an idea. How would you feel about having a girl's night after the final midterm?" Again, she lifted her arm to scratch her shoulder.

Yang thought about it for a second. Blake was pretty intelligent, and knew how to make people slip. She could probably be the catalyst that Yang needed for Ruby to begin being honest with herself. _Plus, it would be nice to see Ruby flustered_, Yang thought devilishly. "Ok, sounds like a plan. Tell me about it on the ride back." She looked to see Blake once again scratching. "What's up with you?" she asked.

"Fleas," Blake replied in a nonchalant manner.

Yang froze on the spot. _Really?_ "You're joking," she half stated, half asked. Blake simply turned and looked at her, with an indiscernible expression. "You are joking," she said this time with more confidence, then that confidence fell again into questioning, "You are, aren't you?"

Blake walked away again, though if Yang could see her face, she would see a playful smile grace the Faunus's lips.

* * *

Ruby was sweating. She was so nervous. She definitely wasn't ready for this. All her years of training at Signal, hours of practice with Crescent Rose, studying tactics, none of that helped here. Weiss had pushed her down, and had remained on top since this began. She just couldn't keep up with the white haired girl. Weiss, quite frankly, was dominating.

Suddenly, a shot rang out, meeting its mark in the head of a red helmeted space marine. "Headshot!" the game exclaimed, as Weiss racked up another kill to her impressive kill streak.

Ruby groaned, "How did you get so good at this?"

Weiss smirked, "Surprised?"

"Yeah, actually. You don't seem like the gamer type," Ruby responded. "Seriously, last time I asked you to play, you said you didn't like videogames."

"I didn't say that!" the heiress scoffed, "I said I didn't play low brow shooters. I play games that require skill and help me take out my aggression." Suddenly excited, she stood up and started shouting, "Die! Die! Die!"

Ruby's avatar jumped as high as it could, narrowly missing the green plasma explosives Weiss fired. Reacting quickly, Ruby spun and fired a round into an explosive Weiss's avatar was standing next to. The explosion dropped her shields but as Ruby reloaded, the heiress made a tactical retreat. "Skill?" she asked, "This is almost just like the other game."

"Shut up and play," Weiss's mood becoming cool and collected again.

Ruby simply nodded and continued. After a while though, she felt the need to ask a certain question. "When did you start playing videogames?"

Weiss didn't react, focused solely on victory. Ruby tapped her on the shoulder, only to be greeted with a hard look, "I am in the zone. Fight now, explain later." However, as soon as she said that, the game ended. Final score: Weiss fifty kills, Ruby had a measly seven. Weiss turned back to the younger teammate, a slightly conceited grin on her face, "And I believe that was my third straight win."

Ruby huffed, a little sore from losing so badly. "How and when?" she repeated.

Weiss had already been setting up the next game, this time online. "Ren, Jaune and Nora were playing together one night when the rest of you guys were gone. They said they were going to do a few team death matches then go online and wanted a fourth person." She smirked, "They thought I was going to be a handicap, but apparently I am a natural. Only Ren was a better than me, and he spent years playing the whole series."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, "Really? And what did the guys online think?"

Weiss shrugged, "They thought I was going to be an easy kill and be quiet. They were wrong on both accounts. I also learn that I have an expanded vocabulary online."

She pulled out her scroll and selected a video. Ruby saw that a famous player and video maker had recorded the match and put it on his website. It had started with what was a normal game commentary, then out of nowhere he dies suddenly and Ruby could hear Weiss mocking him. In the little time Weiss had played, she had learned and fully utilized a gamer's vocabulary. She even began to jokingly tell the other team to suck on the, well, manly bits she obviously did not possess.

Red-faced, Ruby pushed the scroll back to Weiss. She had heard quite enough. _I thought only dad could talk like that._ "I'm surprised he didn't boot you from the match," Ruby murmured.

"One of them tried, but he actually defended me, saying that I had a right to brag. We're friends now," she stated quickly, as though it was of no real importance. She began scrolling down the options of available matches. Not seeing any she liked, she ejected the disk from the system. "How about we try that game you wanted to play?" she asked.

Nodding, Ruby picked it out of the small games library in her possession. She was hoping that she could turn the tides with this game, but for some reason, she was beginning to think the Reign of Weiss was only just beginning.

* * *

Sky wasn't the most intelligent guy. He also wasn't the bravest. Or the nicest. Or the best looking. But more so to the point, he liked to think he was logical and with enough common sense to avoid trouble. He trained enough with his sabre to deal with most Grimm threats, like Ursii or Beowolves, but knew to steer clear of larger threats, Ursa Majors or Deathstalkers. Overall, he liked to think he was somewhat capable and had a good grasp on his abilities.

None of that mattered now as Jaune and Pyrrha decided to take him under their wing in training him too. Mostly Jaune, as Pyrrha only helped Jaune as he watched. But he picked up quickly in the two hours they had been working together. Thus they decided to test him, with a professor present to oversee it.

So now he could in a small arena, facing the caged Grimm Professor Port decided to haul out of his dungeon of horrors. Judging by the size of the cage, the hungry snarls, and the large, white, intestine tearing claws he could see trying to cut its way out of the tiny window, it was probably a Beowolf. An Alpha, to be precise.

Sky didn't know quite what those two were thinking when they came up with this insane suggestion, he reasoned it probably had to do with his bullying ways, but he felt this was a tad extreme to put him through so early. But they checked it out with Port, who said that he should be skilled enough to handle one now. So here he was, standing on one side of the arena, wondering how many pieces of him would be intact for his funeral. He guessed not many. It probably isn't going to be open casket. He joked with himself, trying to remain steady.

"Ready," Port began, with Jaune and Pyrrha standing by for support, should anything go wrong. "Go!"

The door opened, and as he guessed, an Alpha jumped out, looking for a human sized snack. It looked ahead at him and let out a roar.

Sky suddenly felt a wave of energy as adrenaline pumped through his blood. He stood firm, resisting the flight of his fight-or-flight reaction. The Beowolf charged. Fifty feet, forty, thirty. Sweat formed on his brow. Little closer...

As soon as it only ten feet away, he rolled to the side and stuck out his sabre, using his left hand behind it to keep it steady. The sword easily cut through its thick hide, and with the force of the Beowolf's charge, it left a nasty gash down its side.

It roared in pain and skidded to a halt. Sky turned to greet it, a small smirk on his face, "What's wrong? Can't catch one little birdie?"

If it could understand human speech, Sky didn't know, but he could tell it was pissed. Royally so. It leapt forward, swinging one massive paw down. Sky lifted his sabre in an overhead block, using both of his hands. The claw was redirected as it slid down the sword, pushed off to the side and throwing the beast off balance.

Sky immediately stepped forward and stabbed with all his might into the creature's originally uninjured side. Roaring in pain, the beast swung its forearm back, elbowing the boy and knocking him a a good dozen meters back.

Had Sky been ready, he may have rolled and landed on his feet, ready to deliver a killing blow. But he wasn't. He landed on his back, with his sword knocked even further away. He only had enough time to stand up before seeing the mighty hunter begin charging at him again.

He didn't have enough time to grab his sword. But he had one shot left. He pulled his right hand back and over his head. His bracer began to glow red, as the dust he kept inside of it began to activate. As it closed into killing range, he swung down with all his might, harnessing the power the dust provided to him.

Had Sky not have been punching a giant monster of horror and death, what happened next he and the others would have found comical. He fist connect with the top of the Beowolf's head and a loud, sickening crack echoed as the skull plate fractured. Then its face smashed into the floor of the arena. Had it ended there, it would have been awesome. However, physics decided it wasn't over yet. The force the Beowolf was using to propel itself was still in effect, only slightly redirected. The face was moving down but the body was still moving forward. The force flipped the Beowolf over onto its back, and onto Sky.

"Sky!" Jaune cried as he ran to go help him, Pyrrha in close pursuit. They stopped just before the beast and the boy.

"Get... this thing... off of me..." Sky asked in a muffled voice through the fur.

The two members of JNPR rolled the heavy weight from the boy, much to his relief. Jaune pulled him up, a huge smile greeting the victor, "That was amazing, I didn't know you knew how to use dust like that!" Even Pyrrha looked a little impressed.

Sky shrugged. "No biggie," he said with false humility, enjoying the praise, "Everyone else in CRDL is too lazy to learn how to properly use it as a tool, so I decided to become the team's medium to close range mage."

He leaned back onto the body, acting nonchalant, "How about we turn this into a rug? Look great in my room."

Suddenly, it began to rise again. He stood back immediately, seeing it stand up on its hind legs, claw up, ready for one, final attack. He was frozen, but felt too different hands grab each of his shoulders as he was pulled out of harm's way. "Look out!" he head Pyrrha and Jaune cry out simultaneously.

The beast fell forward, just out of reach of its would be victim. It appeared to be truly dead this time, using the last of its strength for the attack. Sky just stared at the corpse. That was closer than I would have liked.

Pyrrha broke his stupor, "You have to be careful. Grimm have been known to kill, even in their death throes." She spoke without anger or frustration, only as a teacher. Impartial and fair.

"Just to be sure though," Jaune walked over and gave it a good stab into its neck, severing the spine.

Professor Port stepped forward, "Good work boy, but don't get too over confident." He gave Sky a strong congratulatory slap on the back. "But that was some fine work. A little practice, and you'll make a fine Hunter."

Sky nodded, wanting to smile, to feel confident, but knew it was better to be critical of his success. Pyrrha would lecture him, as he needed to hear. He was too used to being a funny man, not acting serious about anything. If he wanted his head to stay where he wanted it, he knew he needed to learn how to be serious.

They thanked Port and helped clear the field. As a trophy, Port promised to present the Beowolf's head to Sky when he got ahead to stuffing it. They left together, with Pyrrha and Jaune critiquing his performance, and then deciding it was time to grab dinner. The BY of RWBY should be back by now and the NR of JNPR never left the room that day. As they walked back to the rooms, they couldn't help but feel that tomorrow was going to be a rough day.


End file.
